Dishwasher and water distributor therefor



April 4, 1961 R. v. KLINT DISHWASHER AND WATER DISTRIBUTOR THEREFORFiled Oct. 25, 1957 a I f W 1 Fri 1 V W b a w fl wm fi DISHWASHER ANDWATER DISTRIBUTOR THEREFOR RobertV. Klint, Vischers Ferry, N.Y.,assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York FiledOct. 25', 1957, Set. him-692,430

1 Claim. (Cl. 134179) This invention relates to water distributors indishwashers and other related apparatus, and more particularly, to amethod and apparatus by means of which water sprays may be directedasrequired to all areas of the washing machine. I

Dishwashers and other apparatus designed to wash or otherwise cleanindividual articles are generally required to be provided with somemeans to direct a stream of wash-water over all of the articles whichmay be randomly placed or stacked within the washing machine in order toobtain a certain degree of cleanliness. Heretofore, the distributormeans have generally taken the form of mechanical devices,including'variable, rotatable, or swivel type of nozzles which are inconstant motion and direct a wa'shwater spray in various directions. Oneof the in herent disadvantages in this type of water distributor is notonly the relative expensiveness of the plurality of parts which make upa rotatable nozzle, but also the provision of lubrication and bearingsfor the moving parts. Another form of distributor heretofore used is thepermanent positioning of a pluralityof nozzles in the walls of thewashing machine. This method also contains the economic'disadvantage ofthe requirement of a large number of nozzles to provide the desiredcoverage. An economical and simplified device for providing fluid sprayswhich would cover the required area appears to be quite a desirablefeature in increasing the efliciency of the modern type dishwasher andreducing the overall cost thereof.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvedwater-distribution device for dishwashers and related apparatus.

It is another object of this invention to provide an economicalapparatus for water distribution within washing apparatus.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a varidirectionalwater spray nozzle having no parts moving relative to one another, suchas bearings and the like.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide full spraycoverageof the areas required in; a washing apparatus with a minimumnumber of nozzles.

Briefly described, in one form of this invention, a plurality of shortflexible tubes are afiixed in fluid flow relationship to a common waterchamber or manifold. Upon the introduction of water-into the manifold ata'suflicient pressure, water is caused to issue from the flexibleconduits in such a manner that the conduits move about, vibrate, oroscillate in diverse motions to provide a fluid spray which covers largeand broken areas not normally accessible by a single fixed nozzle.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will be betterunderstood when taken in connection with the following description andthe included drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a sectional view of a single nozzle in accordance with thisinvention;

Fig. 2 discloses a modification of Fig. 1 wherein a weight is used forcontrol purposes;

States Patent Fig. 3 discloses a further modification of Fig. 1 whereinan additional opening is used for control purposes;

Fig. 4 discloses astill further modification of Fig. l employing anadditional nozzle for control purposes;

Fig. 5 discloses an assembly including the invention of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 discloses a dishwasher using the assembly of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 discloses a dishwasher using a modified assembly of- Fig. 5.

Fig. 1 illustrates an embodiment of this invention in the form of one ofthe plurality of nozzles utilized in this invention. In Fig. 1, 1represents a conduit or manifold having an extension or nipple 2thereon. A short section of flexible tubing or conduit 3 is positionedadjacent and surrounding the nipple 2 and in concentric relationshipthereto. The conduit 3 may be stretched to be positioned over the nipple2 and, if necessary, joined thereto by suitable afiixation means orcementing to prevent separation therefrom. The internal diameter of thenipple 2 and tube 3 is made smaller than the internal diameter of theconduit 1 in order that a suitable pressure build-up may be maintainedwithin the flexible tube 3. When water is introduced into the conduit 1under pressure, it is caused to flow upwardly through nipple 2 and intothe flexible conduit 3 which commences a series of oscillating motionswhich may be described as a thrashing movement, spreading the water inapparently all directions. The particular thrashing movement of theflexible nozzle varies with the thickness and approximately 2 incheslong. The rubber I tubing was pushed over the nipple 2 and when waterwas introduced at about 20 p.s.i. to the tubes, thrashing or vibratingmovements of the flexible tube commenced. Upon examination with astroboscopic light, the frequency was noted to be on the order of 30through 60 cycles per second.

Various modifications may be utilized to increase or decrease orotherwise control the thrashing movement of the nozzles as disclosed inFig. 1. Referring now to Fig. 2, there is disclosed in partial section aflexible tube 3 having a weight 4 at the free end thereof. Weight 4 maytake the form, as illustrated, of an annular member of metal or othermaterial, including an enlarged, thicker portion of tube 3, of apredetermined weight, and aflixed to the free end of the flexible tube3. While weight 4 is shown as not interfering with the fluid flow fromthe flexible conduit 3, it is contemplated that weight 4 may take theform of a nozzle in the flow channel of flexible conduit 3, and thecombination thus provides not only a nozzle action to control theparticular type of spray, but also causes the flexible conduit 3 tocommence a rotational movement for better fluid distribution.Additionally, it is understood that a weight on the free end of theflexible conduit 3 accordingly aflects the rate of motion of the freeend proportional to a predetermined water pressure.

Additional or modified rotation of the flexible tube may be obtained bythe modification disclosed in Fig. 3. In Fig. 3, there is shown apartial section of a flexibleconduit 3 having a slit 5 near the free endthereof. The angle of the slit 5 relative to the vertical axes of theflexible conduit affects the rate of rotation of the flexible tube dueto the nozzle eflect of water escaping through the slit.

Still another modification of motion control as applied to the flexibleconduit of this invention is illustrated in Fig. 4 which shows a partialsection view of a flexible tube 3. Flexible tube 3 has joined in fluidflow relationship to the free end thereof an angled or otherwise curvedor offset nozzle member 6. It is understood that the flexible tube 3itself may be made in accordance with the curvature of the nozzleelement 6, or as illustrated, a particular nozzle element 6 may bejoined to the flexible tube 3. Depending upon the curvature or angle ofthe flexible nozzle 6, a controlled motion of the flexible tube 3 may beobtained.

The nozzle apparatus as disclosed in any of the Figs. 1

nozzles are aflixed to a conduit or manifolding of the desiredconfiguration. Fig. discloses one form of manifolding incorporated inthis invention and shows a conduit or manifold 7 in an X orcross-configuration, being supplied with water by a central inlet 8. Aplurality of flexible tubes 3 are mounted in spaced apart relationshipalong the X member.

Referring now to Fig. 6, there is shown a conventional washing machinecomprising generally a tub or casing 9 having a suitable framework orbracket 10 utilized to receive the articles to be wasned. Below thebracket or framework 10 there is positioned the manifold assembly asillustrated in Fig. 5 with the plurality of nozzles 3 directed upwardlytherefrom. The manifold assembly is mounted in the casing 9 by means ofa pipe or other conduit 11 which leads to a source of water (not shown),and which incorporates the necessary seals 12 between the pipe and thecasing 9 to prevent water leakage therebetween. A suitable drain 13 isprovided in the bottom of the casing 9 to carry ofl the wash water andthe foreign particles obtained from the cleaning of the articles to bewashed.

It may be seen that when the illustration of Fig. 6 is taken inconnection with the description given for Figs. 1 through 5, there isprovided a plurality of streams of wash water which are directed by thethrashing movement of the nozzles 3 into substantially all directionsrequired for eflicient cleaning of articles contained on the bracket 10.

A still more efficient type of dishwashing apparatus, wherein thearticles to be washed may contain hollow chambers such as cups, bowls,and other related china, is illustrated in Fig. 7. Referring now to Fig.7, there is disclosed a dishwasher, tub or casing 14 which incorporatesa plurality of manifolds 17 and related flexible nozzles 3 along boththe bottom surface 15 and the wall surfaces 16 thereof. In Fig. 7 theparticular configuration of the manifolds is that of a U-shape manifold17 for each of the four walls and the Us being interconnected at thebottom by the X type of manifold disclosed in Fig. 5. This arrangementprovides the dispersion of fluid streams in substantially all directionsrequired for the proper cleaning of not only flatware articles, but alsoarticles having hollows or cavities therein. It is to be understood thatthe particular manifold configurations are not restrictive to thisinvention, and may take the various shapes to be positioned along thewall surfaces and/or the bottom surfaces of a casing or tub in suitabledirections which may provide a required fluid stream dispersion. It isalso to be understood that this invention is equally applicable to thetype of washing machine where the wash water may have means for theaddition of a suitable soap solution or detergent before emission fromthe nozzle, or where the basket or tub 14 contains a sump and a pump bymeans of which the wash water may be recirculated. These elements aregenerally illustrated by numeral 18 which is inclusive of the well knowndevices for sequentially timing, mixing and recirculation filtering, andthe like.

This invention, therefore, contemplates the employment of a manifoldassembly in a conventional dishwashing or other washing apparatus. Themanifolding assembly is supplied with a series of flexible tube nozzlesaflixed there to which vibrate, oscillate, and/or rotate when waterissues therefrom under a predetermined pressure, and there is thusprovided streams of wash water either containing a detergent or not,which project into substantially all areas of the washing machine whichrequire streams of water forthe effective and eflicient cleaning ofarticles therein. Additionally, it is to be understood that the flexibletubes 3 of this invention may be applied to the well known rotating typeof nozzle for increased area coverage.

While other modifications of this invention and variations of apparatuswhich may be employed within the scope of the invention have not beendescribed, the invention is intended to include all such as may beembraced within the following claim.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

An improved dishwasher and the like washing apparatus comprising incombination, a tub adapted for the placing of articles to be washedtherein, and a plural moving stream washwater sytem for said tub, saidsystem including a manifold conduit along the bottom of said tub andextending adjacent the inner side surfaces thereof, a series of shortflexible tubes attached to said manifold along the length thereof at thebottom of said tub and upwardly directed, a series of short flexibletubes attached to said manifold along the length thereof adjacent theinner side surfaces of said tub and inwardly directed, said tubes beingabout 2 inches in length, means introducing washwater through saidmanifold under a predetermined pressure to cause said tubes to oscillatein the range of about cycles per second to direct streams of water indiverse direction so that the articles to be washed are exposed toplural washwater streams from the bottom of said tub and pluralwashwater streams from all sides of said tub, and means on some of saidtubes to affect and control oscillations thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS212,368 Fiske Feb. 18, 1879 586,161 Buchanan July 13, 1897 1,485,796Merseles Mar. 4, 1924 2,622,926 Cammann Dec. 23, 1952 2,757,960 HatcherAug. 7, 19'56

